


A Conversation

by smolalienbee



Series: Elijah Kamski's demons [12]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Arguing, Canon Related, Canon Universe, Elijah and Connor aren't that soft this time, Emotional Hurt, Fights, Hurt, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Canon, Sad, we're back to the angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 16:46:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16496387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolalienbee/pseuds/smolalienbee
Summary: On a day off, Elijah Kamski is visited by Connor. But the day doesn't go as planned and Elijah is forced to think about the unresolved issues in his life.(continuation to the New Jericho storyline)





	A Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> Woohoo, we're getting back on track with the main storyline (meaning all the shit that's going down after what happened at new Jericho). Seems like I have a pattern by now, going back and forth with the flashbacks and what happens in the future. Fun fact, part of the reason why this chapter happened is because for ages I had written down in my fic notes "make Connor less soft". So, here it is.   
> This takes place sometime after The Road Trip.

He found Connor in the entrance hall, standing in front of a picture, picture of Amanda and him. The android stared at the imagine, LED flashing red every now and then.

He didn't approach him immediately; Connor didn't notice him standing there.

It was one of the android's days off, so he came by to visit Elijah. This time in the calmness of his house, away from the Cyberlife office. He had just arrived so the two of them hadn't had the chance to get around to anything.

It was probably why the android was just standing there, eye to eye with an image of someone that appeared so similar to the software that caused him far too much distress.

“Connor?”

At the sound of Elijah's voice, Connor blinked several times, slowly tearing his gaze away from the picture. Kamski approached him and then they were standing side by side, shoulders touching, in front of the photo.

“It brings back unpleasant memories for you, doesn't it?” Elijah hummed, gesturing with his head towards the faces on the wall.

Connor hesitated, glancing at it again. He nodded slowly.

“It... really does, yes. I don't know what Amanda was truly like, but the one Cyberlife had programmed into my mind was... far from amiable.”

“I can see that. It's not how I programmed her, originally. I'm sure they made her far more stern, as part of your anti-deviation software,” he hummed.

Connor's eyes lowered to the ground.

“I'd rather not talk about it,” he muttered.

Elijah gave a small nod, knowing better than to push the topic further. It had been months since Connor deviated, but he could tell the memory was still fresh in his mind, painful and troubling despite how much time had passed. It was nothing unexpected. After all, Connor recorded everything, had a perfect recollection of all the events in his past. Surely, he could replay all those moments with ease, including his interactions with Amanda. There was no need to trigger those memories.

“Come on, then,” Elijah gently squeezed Connor's arm, pulling him away from the picture. Maybe he should take it down, if the android was going to be over more often.

They made their way through the halls, all of them brightened by the sun seeping in through the large winows. It was quite early – Connor insisted on spending the day there and making up for all the times they were too busy to see each other.

Ever since their little road trip, they grew much closer. It showed in the soft smiles and looks, in how they were much more comfortable with the gentle touches, hugs, hand holding, small kisses. They didn't speak about it, treating it as something casual, nothing out of the ordinary, as if their dynamic hadn't changed at all.

Sometimes, Elijah could see in Connor's eyes that the android had questions. Probably plenty of them. But he never voiced them, and Kamski didn't dare to urge him to. He didn't think he'd have answers to any of them.

They made it to the living room, also brightly lit and surrounded by glass walls. They sat down on a couch, didn't put much space between each other – it was no time at all before the android was going in for a loose hug. As Elijah had learned over the past month, Connor was very fond of those.

They sat like that for a moment, in silence, the android pressed up to Elijah's side and with his face hidden against his shoulder. It all felt ridiculously calm and domestic. Kamski would be more than happy to just let the moment drag on and on for as long as possible.

But when it came to the two of them, their quiet moments of peace never lasted long.

Connor pulled back and shuffled on the couch so that he could sit up properly. Still close to each other, but not cuddled up anymore. Elijah raised an eyebrow at him, a silent question. He could see on the android's face that there was a specific reason why he pulled away.

“We need to talk about Jericho,” Connor's bluntness instantly ruined the serene mood. Kamski's shoulders slumped a tad, a brow still raised.

“Why?” It was clear even a mention of the place worsened his mood.

Despite more and more time passing since what happened with Damian, Jericho was still very much a touchy subject in Elijah's book. And Connor noticed the man's apprehension, sighing quietly before he continued.

“You need to come back there.”

Elijah didn't like the sound of that, at all.

“How about we change the topic?”

“Elijah, we need to talk about this,” Connor's voice was far more stern, all of a sudden.

Kamski swallowed, visibly uncomfortable under the android's attentive gaze. It really felt like Connor wasn't going to let go of this anymore. Thinking about it added to Elijah's anxiety.

“What is it that you want to talk about, exactly?”

“You can't just avoid Jericho forever.”

Elijah let out a heavy sigh, straightening his back and crossing his arms on top of his chest.

Defense.

He had to protect himself.

“I'm not avoiding anything. I'm just doing what's best for everyone.”

“We both know you are avoiding it. You haven't even talked to Markus since what happened with Damian.”

Elijah avoided Connor's eyes.

The android was right. He made sure not to have anything to do with Jericho, except for strictly company related matters. He didn't want to admit it, no matter how obvious it was.

“You're not going to fix anything by ignoring the problem, Elijah.”

Even without looking at him, Kamski could tell the dark eyes were trained on him. Why did Connor have to bring it up now? They haven't talked about it much before. He'd much rather keep on going like that, acting as if nothing happened despite the obvious tension in his body whenever he heard the word Jericho.

“Connor, can we not talk about it? “

“I'm not going to just drop it like that anymore, Elijah. I've let you ignore the topic for far too long. “

Elijah huffed softly, standing up in one swift movement. Arms still crossed. He paced around the room, agitated, restless. The eyes trailing after him, constantly. He hated having that kind of look on himself.

“Well what do you expect me to do about it?”

“First of all, I expect you to come to Jericho again and talk to Markus, at the very least.“

“Oh, I'm sure he doesn't want to see me. “

“You don't know that,“ Connor couldnt'stop himself from snapping anymore.

Elijah frowned, though the android couldn't see it. While pacing around, Kamski made sure not to show his face, his distress. Keep it all carefully tucked away from Connor's gaze.

“Have you ever even thought about what position you're putting Markus in? Or me, as well? “

“I don't know what you mean.”

“They all ask about you! They expect answers, Elijah. Answers that me, or Markus, can't provide! They hear all about what Cyberlife's doing for them, but the only time they've seen you in person was when you attacked Damian! You're not going to gain their trust this way, some of them are beginning to question Markus' decision to work with you!”

Connor's voice was just slightly louder than usual, but it was enough to throw Elijah off. He breathed deeply, did everything in his power to keep himself grounded. He approached the window, back still turned towards the android. Connor, meanwhile, was on the edge of his seat, stiff, his posture a lot like how it used to be back when he was a heartless machine.

“And do you really believe I could gain their trust if I showed up there? “

“I don't know! But you need to take matters into your own hands. You're not the only one who doesn't feel comfortable in Jericho, I don't want to be there as much as you don't! Yet I'm there nearly every day, cleaning up your mess and answering their questions! “

Connor had such an easy way of bringing Elijah's guilt up to the surface. He dug his fingers into his arm, stared out the window.

What did he want him to say?

He couldn't go to Jericho. He just couldn't. He wasn't ready and he didn't think he'd ever be. How could the android expect him to do it?

He heard shuffling and footsteps. He slowly turned around and saw that Connor was now approaching him. Instinctively, he took a step back.

“I didn't ask you to do these things for me, Connor. You don't have to find any excuses for my behaviour.”

“But I do, Elijah! Everyone knows I'm the only one who has a close relation with you, of course they're going to expect that I have all the answers. As if being the deviant hunter wasn't bad enough, now some of them are convinced I'm just spying for you.”

They were now facing each other and the height difference between them made Elijah feel even smaller. As if he was staring into the eyes of a Connor that he didn't know so well, a determined, unwavering one, focused purely on his mission.

And his current mission was to convince Elijah to return to Jericho.

A shiver ran through him and he had to look away. He didn't usually feel the need to have his guard up around Connor so this was new. With that look on the android's face, Elijah felt far more intimidated than if it was anyone else staring him down.

“I can't- I can't go back there, how many times do I have to tell you this?” he was beginning to get irritated. Impatient.

He didn't want to talk about it. He wanted to go back to their evening at the meadow, the easy conversations, the comfort it brought to him, to Connor.

Why couldn't their lives just be easier?

The creator and the deviant hunter.

They were certainly a complicated pair, with so, so many issues.

“You don't know what they say about you, what I have to listen to,” Connor's voice was quieter, but at the same time, it felt much more dangerous, scary, unsettling.

He was standing so close. All Elijah wanted to do was push him away, rather than pull him closer.

“How is that supposed to be convincing?”

He wanted to back away, but couldn't.

“You could change what they say if you just tried to be with them!”

“And have they changed their opinion about you?”

That struck a wrong cord with Connor.

Elijah spat the question out without even thinking twice about it. Didn't realize the implications of it.

Connor set his jaw, eyes narrowing. His shoulders tensed up some more. He was usually so patient and yet Elijah somehow managed to frustrate him.

“I'm done with this conversation.”

His voice was so cold, emotionless, it made Elijah shiver.

He turned around and without any other word, he walked out. All mechanical movements, a way for Connor to hide his true emotions. Elijah heard the faint noise of the front door opening and then closing.

He was left alone, still shaken up.

He had never argued with Connor like that.

The android was so understanding, it was difficult to anger him.

With Connor gone, Elijah allowed all the emotion to show in his face and body.

He sat down again, shoulders slumping as he put his face into his hands. He messed up yet again. Messed up so bad.

How did it happen that no matter what he did, it all turned out wrong?

He couldn't even tell if Connor was right.

Should he really show up at Jericho again?

Could he fix what he had broken, what he had made fall to pieces?

Things were getting out of hand and he had to find a way to get a grip again.

 


End file.
